Herb Of The Week - Red Clover - Fertility Herb

[Guest guest]

ok, where can I find rc at? after reading that I might give that a try since

the darn fertility drugs aren't helping any.

 

Rahnny

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

In the following article by Susun Weed, Red Clover is discussed as one

of several fertility herbs .. enjoy!

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

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http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Fertility_Herbs.htm

 

Feeling Frisky? Herbs for Fertility

c. 1999 by Susun S. Weed

 

 

For thousands of years knowledge of the herbs and wild plants that could

increase fertility were the secrets of the village wise women. But after

the holocaust against European Wise Women (the " burning times " ) and the

virtual extermination of Native American medicine women, this knowledge

virtually disappeared. In fact, many people erroneously believe that

" primitive people " had no means of controlling the likelihood of

pregnancy. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

Many common plants can be used to influence fertility, including red

clover, partridge berry, liferoot, wild carrot, and wild yam. Some of

these grow wild, others are easy to cultivate, and, with the exception

of wild carrot, all are also readily available at health food stores.

 

One of the most cherished of the fertility-increasing plants is red

clover (Trifolium pratense). Common in fields and along roadsides, it

has bright pink (not really red) blossoms from mid-summer into the

chilly days of fall. A favorite flower of the honeybees, the tops

(blossoms and appending leaves) are harvested on bright sunny days and

eaten as is, or dried for medicinal use. The raw blossoms are delicious

in salads and nutritious when cooked with grains such as rice or millet.

 

 

To make a fertility-enhancing infusion, I take one ounce by weight of

the dried blossoms (fresh won't work for this application) and put them

in a quart size canning jar. I fill the jar with boiling water, screw on

a tight lid, and let it steep at room temperature overnight (or for at

least four hours). Dozens of women have told me that they had successful

pregnancies after drinking a cup or more (up to four cups) a day of red

clover infusion.

 

It is especially helpful if there is scaring of the fallopian tubes,

irregular menses, abnormal cells in the reproductive tract, or

" unexplained " infertility. It may take several months for the full

effect of this herb to come on and pregnancy may not occurs until you

have used it for a year or two. You can improve the taste by including

some dried peppermint (a spoonful or two) along with the dried clover

blossoms when making your infusion. Treat the father of the child-to-be

to some red clover infusion, too!

 

That little evergreen creeper that carpets some parts of the woods

around your house is partridge berry (Mitchella repens), also known as

squaw weed, supposedly because of its ability to enhance fertility. (My

teacher Twylah Nitsch, grandmother of the Seneca Wolf clan, says that

" squaw " is a slang term meaning " schmuck " or, in the proper term,

" penis, " and therefore should not be used in denoting a plant meant to

be used by women.) Keep an eye out this spring and see if you can catch

Mitchella blooming. Then you'll see why she's sometimes called " twin

flower. "

Interestingly, when the paired flowers fall off, they leave behind but

one berry to ripen. (The shiny red berries you've noticed in the forest

winter or spring. Yes, they are safe to eat, but leave some for the

partridges.) The symbolism of two flowers forming one berry is certainly

a suitable icon for fertility. I make a medicinal vinegar by filling a

small jar with the fresh leaves, adding apple cider vinegar until the

jar is full again. A piece of waxed paper held in place with a rubber

band and a label (including date) completes the preparation, which must

sit at room temperature for six weeks before use. I enjoy up to a

tablespoonful of the vinegar on my salads or in my beans.

 

By mid- to late-May, the yellow blossoms of liferoot (Senecio aureus)

enliven my swamp (in upstate New York) and the neighboring roads where

there is adequate water and rich soil. A powerful medicine resides in

all parts of this lovely wildflower. As the root has a dangerous

reputation, I restrict myself to using only the flowers and leaves,

which I harvest in bloom, and quickly tincture. (For instructions for

making your own tinctures, please see any of my books.) Small doses of

this tincture (3-8 drops a day), taken at least 14 days out of the

month, will regulate hormone production, increase libido, normalize the

menses, relieve menstrual pain, and improve fertility. The closely

related Senecia jacobea and Senecio vulgaris can also be used.

 

Wild carrot (Daucus carota), better known as Queen Anne's lace, is such

a common roadside plant that most people are amazed to learn that it is

a proven anti-fertility herb. In addition to being the wild cousin of

carrot, it is related to parsley, dill, caraway, anise, celery, cumin,

and a (now extinct) plant whose seeds were the birth-control of choice

for many a classical Greek or Roman woman.

 

The aromatic seeds of wild carrot are collected in the fall and eaten (a

heaping teaspoonful a day) to prevent the implantation of a fertilized

egg. In one small study the effectiveness rate after thirteen months of

use was 99%. As modern scientific medicine reports that one-third of all

fertilized eggs are passed out of the body without implanting in the

uterus, this method of birth control seems in complete agreement with

nature.

 

Of the hundreds of women currently using this anti-fertility agent, I

have heard virtually no reports of any side-effects. Note that many

books caution you to beware the danger of confusing poison hemlock and

wild carrot. Poison hemlock is rather scarce in our area, and, at any

rate, does not smell or taste of carrot (as does Queen Anne's lace), so

I believe this warning to be a red herring. In addition, wild carrot

leaves have small hairs on them, while the leaves of poison hemlock are

smooth.

 

Another anti-fertility herb that has been tested by small groups of

modern women is wild yam (Dioscorea villosa). Since birth-control pills

were originally made from this plant, it is not at all surprising that

it has the effect of blocking conception when taken daily in rather

large doses: either a cup of tea or two capsules taken three times a

day.

 

Does it have detrimental effects? Current studies are too small to show

any, but there is a possibility that there could be. Interestingly

enough, if wild yam is taken is small doses (a cup of tea or 10-20 drops

of the tincture daily from onset of menses until mid-period) it

increases fertility! In either case, the effect seems to be triggered by

the large amount of hormone-like substances found in this root. When

taken daily, these substances may be converted into progesterone, thus

decreasing the possibility of conception. When taken for the two weeks

preceding ovulation, these substances may be converted into LH and FSH,

hormones which are needed to make the egg ready to be fertilized.

 

Other common weeds and garden plants of our area that have been used to

increase or decrease fertility include stinging nettle, oatstraw,

pennyroyal, Jack-in-the-pulpit, rue, and parsley.

 

The earth is full of wonders, and green magic abounds. As more and more

women remember that they are wise women, more of the wonders and the

magic will be revealed. May your days be filled with many green

blessings.

 

For permission to reprint this article, contact us at:

susunweed

 

Susun Weed - PO Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498 (fax) 1-845-246-8081

 

Visit Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com <http://www.herbshealing.com/>

and www.ashtreepublishing.com <http://www.ashtreepublishing.com/>

 

Susun <http://www.susunweed.com/SusunWeed.htm> Weed, green witch and

wise woman, is an extraordinary teacher with a joyous spirit, a powerful

presence, and an encyclopedic knowledge of herbs and health. She is the

voice of the Wise Woman Way, where common weeds, simple ceremony, and

compassionate listening support and nourish health/wholeness/holiness.

She has opened hearts to the magic and medicine of the green nations for

three decades. Ms. Weed's four herbal medicine books focus on women's

health topics including: menopause, childbearing, and breast health.

Visit her site www.susunweed.com <http://www.herbshealing.com/> for

information on her workshops, apprenticeships, correspondence courses

and more! Browse the publishing site online at www.ashtreepublishing.com

<http://www.ashtreepublishing.com/> to learn more about her alternative

health books. Venture into the NEW Menopause site

www.menopause-metamorphosis.com

<http://www.menopause-metamorphosis.com/> to learn all about the

Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Learn it together with your husband and make working each other's feet part

of

forplay. Get a copy of Laura Norman's

" Feet First " . It has a special chapter

on this.

 

 

 

Thank you, I appreciate it.

 

Rahnny

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

ok, where can I find rc at?

 

Rahnny, as well as the red clover, try

Reflexology. I know many women who claim

it helped them to get pregnant.

 

Learn it together with your husband and make working each other's feet part of

forplay. Get a copy of Laura Norman's

" Feet First " . It has a special chapter

on this.

 

Ien in the Kootenays, happily squeezing feet.

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[Guest guest]

WOW!!!

 

I am well past the age of having to worry about any

of this, but that is just great information to have around.

..